THE leader of Scotland’s Catholics has apologised to the survivors of “criminal and sinful” abuse following the publication of a damning report.

Just hours after the McLellan Commission’s findings were released, Archbishop Philip Tartaglia asked for forgiveness from all those who have suffered beatings or sexual assaults at the hands of priests and other church workers.

However, some survivors described the report as a “whitewash” and dismissed both the commission and the apology as a “public relations exercise”.

After a 20-month investigation, the Very Rev Andrew McLellan provided scant information about the “evil” abuse he said has taken place within the Catholic Church in Scotland.

Archbishop Tartaglia is president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, which appointed the senior Church of Scotland minister to lead the inquiry in the wake of the Cardinal Keith O’Brien scandal.

Speaking during a mass at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Glasgow, the archbishop said: “I want to offer a profound apology to all those who have been harmed and who have suffered in any way as a result of actions by anyone within the Catholic Church.

“Child abuse is a horrific crime. That this abuse should have been carried out within the Church, and by priests, takes that abuse to another level. Such actions are inexcusable and intolerable.”

He added: “I would like to assure the survivors of abuse that the Catholic Bishops of Scotland are shamed and pained by what you have suffered. We say sorry. We ask forgiveness.

"We apologise also to those who have found the Church’s response slow, unsympathetic or uncaring and reach out to them as we take up the recommendations of the McLellan Commission.”

I want to offer a profound apology to all those who have been harmed and who have suffered in any way as a result of actions by anyone within the Catholic Church

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia

The commission published eight recommendations, designed to end the “culture of secrecy” within the church and ensure “justice” for victims.

Mr McLellan said that if the changes were not implemented then the “public credibility of the Catholic Church in Scotland will be destroyed”.

The commission heard from abuse survivors but did not have the power to investigate current or historical allegations.

The Bishops’ Conference has previously revealed 61 allegations were made between 2006 and 2013, with a further review of claims between 1947 and 2005 to be published “at a later date”.

Frank Docherty, the founder of Incas, the In Care Abuse Survivors organisation, was beaten at a Catholic children’s home in Lanark and later exposed the scandal of children buried in unmarked graves.

He said the church’s apology had only come about due to the Apologies (Scotland) Bill, which means saying sorry will no longer amount to an admission of legal liability.

Mr Docherty, 71, of East Kilbride, said: “The Government and the religious orders are all playing politics with our lives. The Government don’t want to embarrass the religious orders so we are the scapegoats.

“The public is entitled know exactly what has happened. This report and the apology is just propaganda, a public relations exercise to get the public behind the Catholic Church.”

Cardinal O’Brien stepped down in February 2013 after three priests and a former priest made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against him.

There have been numerous claims of abuse at Catholic institutions in Scotland, including boarding schools, children’s homes and seminaries, in recent years.

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Frank Docherty, the founder of Incas, the In Care Abuse Survivors organisation, was beaten at a Catholic children’s home in Lanark and later exposed the scandal of children buried in unmarked graves.

He said the church’s apology had only come about due to the Apologies (Scotland) Bill, which means saying sorry will no longer amount to an admission of legal liability.

Mr Docherty, 71, of East Kilbride, said: “The Government and the religious orders are all playing politics with our lives. The Government don’t want to embarrass the religious orders so we are the scapegoats.

“The public is entitled know exactly what has happened. This report and the apology is just propaganda, a public relations exercise to get the public behind the Catholic Church.”

Cardinal O’Brien stepped down in February 2013 after three priests and a former priest made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against him.

There have been numerous claims of abuse at Catholic institutions in Scotland, including boarding schools, children’s homes and seminaries, in recent years.